Huge congratulation to Noel McNamara and all the Coaching ticket. For the first time in a decade, the Irish U.20 Squad have looked and played like a team, during 6N tournament. Playing against Cork Con before the tournament started and Leinster and Munster Development Squads over Christmas provided the Coaches with a realistic assessment of who would play for the team and who would play for themselves.

In three games thus far we have seen intelligent game plans well executed and our physical short-comings well hidden by the aggressive nature of the forwards team work

Absolutely delighted for this group who have taken the odd blow through injuries but each new face who has come in, has delivered more than was expected.

This is a great step forward in Irish international coaching as Noel has developed totally through the game here, coupled with an invaluable spell in NZ last year.

Well done to you all. Now go and mimic the 2009 Group and grab the Slam in Colwyn Bay next week

What would be very useful for the U20 RWC would be if a two or three of the Leinster players could get a game or two, even 20 minutes off the bench in the Pro12.That kind of exposure would be invaluable to all concerned.

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall who's the greatest player of them all? It is Drico your majesty.

Oldschool wrote:What would be very useful for the U20 RWC would be if a two or three of the Leinster players could get a game or two, even 20 minutes off the bench in the Pro12.That kind of exposure would be invaluable to all concerned.

I'd say it's more likely that most of them will be playing for Leinster A in their mini-tour in the USA. Scott Penny could well be in contention to get some more minutes for the senior team given our last four league games are fairly irrelevant. Harry Byrne is probably the only other one who would conceivably be in contention for some game-time and even that's unlikely.

Great performance from the team. They won but there'll also be areas where they know the can improve on. Thats great for Noel McNamara.

Discipline was great. One area a smaller team is vulnerable is 5m lineouts so by being disciplined they limited France having many of those. Do the same against Wales and they'll win imo. That's if they play to their usual standards. Should be a cracker.

My first time seeing some players. Healy is very similar to Byrne in style so he was able to slot in seemlessly. Baird looks an athlete alright. No shortage of power there! First time he got the ball he broke through a tackle he shouldn't of.

Clarkson has been great. Played every minute, locked out the scrum against a bigger team (Charlie Ryan doing well there too) and he's been mobile around the pitch. Still U19 which is very impressive.

Credit to McNamara and his coaching team. Big turnaround from last year.

dropkick wrote:Great performance from the team. They won but there'll also be areas where they know the can improve on. Thats great for Noel McNamara.

Discipline was great. One area a smaller team is vulnerable is 5m lineouts so by being disciplined they limited France having many of those. Do the same against Wales and they'll win imo. That's if they play to their usual standards. Should be a cracker.

My first time seeing some players. Healy is very similar to Byrne in style so he was able to slot in seemlessly. Baird looks an athlete alright. No shortage of power there! First time he got the ball he broke through a tackle he shouldn't of.

Clarkson has been great. Played every minute, locked out the scrum against a bigger team (Charlie Ryan doing well there too) and he's been mobile around the pitch. Still U19 which is very impressive.

Credit to McNamara and his coaching team. Big turnaround from last year.

Were you at the game? It looked a good crowd / atmosphere on the TV - how is it working out having the games based there?

I like your right leg. A lovely leg for the role.
I've got nothing against your right leg.
The trouble is ... neither have you

dropkick wrote:Great performance from the team. They won but there'll also be areas where they know the can improve on. Thats great for Noel McNamara.

Discipline was great. One area a smaller team is vulnerable is 5m lineouts so by being disciplined they limited France having many of those. Do the same against Wales and they'll win imo. That's if they play to their usual standards. Should be a cracker.

My first time seeing some players. Healy is very similar to Byrne in style so he was able to slot in seemlessly. Baird looks an athlete alright. No shortage of power there! First time he got the ball he broke through a tackle he shouldn't of.

Clarkson has been great. Played every minute, locked out the scrum against a bigger team (Charlie Ryan doing well there too) and he's been mobile around the pitch. Still U19 which is very impressive.

Credit to McNamara and his coaching team. Big turnaround from last year.

Were you at the game? It looked a good crowd / atmosphere on the TV - how is it working out having the games based there?

I couldn't make it but heard it was good. It was mentioned a bit in the media in the lead up. Lots of kids there which added to the atmosphere.

Great to hear that Casey should be back training today. Not sure I've ever wanted a player to make it more than him, you can just tell that he works unbelievably hard and will do whatever it takes to reach the top.

Baird really seems to have it all. I hadn't seen him play since school and wasn't just impressed with the flashy stuff, he had a big workrate and great technique as well, and it was great to see that he could transfer that to a higher level on Friday. He reminds me of a young Ringrose in that he may need to bulk up a bit but his technique will ensure that he can survive at pro level straight away. I reckon he could probably play 6 or 8 if he wanted to.

Adam LaGrue has played some 12 but has been tearing it up at 13, since Christmas for Terenure in AIL. Has played against UCD, Garryowen, Lansdowne, TCD and UCC in successive weeks and looked really sharp against them all with his backline scoring tries at will. Maybe too late for inclusion in 6N Squad, but worth inclusion in JWC training panel. When you see a good U.20 back in AIL Div 1 game not only survive but prosper, you know they've got something special.